According to the U.N. Register of Conventional Arms, Ukraine transferred to Russia 29 SS-19/UR-100NUTTH missiles. One missile in 2004, 24 missiles in 2003, and four - in 2002.
There is a problem with these numbers, though. In January 2002 Ukraine reported in its START MOU data that it had 32 SS-19 missiles. The January 2005 MOU lists none. Three missiles have just disappeared. Theoretically it is possible that Ukraine eliminated them on its territory, but I find it rather unlikely - the elimination program was completed in 1999 (the 32 missiles that were left were not supposed to be eliminated, for they had never been fueled).
So, where are the three missiles?
The book
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Probably the same place as a few "surplus" Ukrainian Kh-55 (AS-15, RKV-500A) cruise missiles wound up. I consider nuclear proliferation in Iran as the single greatest foreign policy threat to the United States. We are expecting Russia and the EU to broker a deal here, as unlikely as that sounds. Probably expecting is the wrong word, hoping may better sum up the feelings. At the very least, we need Russia to understand the intentions of Iran and communicate those intentions to the United States in such a way that the American policy makers truly understand. Persian nationalism does not necessarily have to be at American expense. Today, we only see a threat. The clock is ticking...
I don't think these missiles could have ended up in Iran or someplace else. Most likely it's just sloppy accounting.
Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan might disagree.
Frank Shuler
USA
For those visiting Ukraine: There is the "Museum of strategic Missile Group" of the UKR-Army, not far from Pervomaysk, close to the main road from the highway Kiev-Odessa to Pervomaysk.
Open to the public, 10-17 O'clock, daily.
A previous SS-19 silo. Very interesting, however, only Russian speaking guide.